Possible Tank Mates: New World Cichlids such as the Firemouth, Green Terror, Salvini, Texas, Blood Parrots and Plecos.

Description: Severum Cichlids are South American Cichlids from the northern Amazon region of Brazil. They are known by the scientific name Heros severus and also by the name Cichlasoma severum. Their common names include the Banded Cichlid, Hero Cichlid and the Severum. They have a body shape similar to a discus. There are two main color variations, with the Gold Severum having been developed from the Green Severum. The Gold Severum has been been bred to a pale yellow iridescent color without the original distinctive dark bands. The Green Severum has a greenish body with several horizontal bands on its body.

Temperature Range: 72°F - 84°F

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pH Range: 5.1 - 6.5

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Hardness Range: 3° - 10°

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Breeding Information: Severums are more difficult to breed than most New World Cichlids, because they do not form pairs as readily and the males are difficult to distinguish from the females. Like most cichlids they spawn on clean horizontal surfaces and are very good parents.

The normal Aquarium "Severum" is actually Heros Efasciatus and there are gold and red spotted tank bred variations available as well as the normal Green. There are a few other substrate spawning "severums" Rotkeil, Notatus etc but there Taxonimy is pretty hard to pin down. The major detail is that the True Heros Severum is actually a mouthbreeder and there are no Tankbred varieties as far as i can see.